Rural-delivery letter-box.



No. 729,110. PATENTED MAY 26, 1903.

G. P. YOUNG.

RURAL DELIVERY LETTER Box.

I APPLICATION FILED EBB. 17, 1903- NO MODEL.

WITNESSES INVENTOR Patented May 26 1963-.

PATENT OFFIcn.

CHARLES P. YOUNG, OF YORKQPENNSYLVANIA.

RURAL-DELIVERY LETTER-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 729,110, dated May 26,1903.

Application filed February 17, 1903. Serial No. 143,856. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, CHARLES P. YOUNG, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at York, county of York, and State of 5 Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rural-DeliveryLetter-Boxes, of which the following is a-full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings,in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved box, showing itopen; Fig. 2, a vertical transverse section of the same, showing it openin full lines and closed in dotted lines; Fig. 3, a detail perspectiveview of the inner wall of the tray, showing the letter-clip attachedthereto; and Fig. 4, a perspective view of the front piece and tray,showing the manner of forming it from one piece of sheet metal.

The object of this invention is to provide an extremely light and strongbox which shall be entirely waterproof and which shall be easily openedand closed and shall afford full protection for the mail-matter againstthe elements when either open or closed, as more fully hereinafter setforth.

The box is constructed of two sections, the main section or box properbeing constructed bent so as to form the bottom, the rear wall,

the top wall, and a portion of the front wall of the box. The forwardedge 0 of the bottom portion terminates short of the front edge of thebox, and the other edge of the sheet of metal is carried a short waydown on the front of the box, terminating in the edge e, and betweenthis edge and the top of the box the sheet is folded closely upon itselfto form an outward-projecting flange (1, running the full length of thebox.

The movable front wall f of the box is formed integral with a tray,which extends into the box and rests upon its bottom, this trayconsisting of the bottom part g, rear wall 1', and side pieces 71., thefront f and these parts being bent up from a single piece of sheet metaland riveted together at the corners of the tray. This tray f is adaptedto slide back into the box and to be drawn out when the of twosubstantially rectangular end parts a,

box is opened, as shown. The tray rests upon the bottom of the box andis guided in its back-and-forth movements by inward-extend= ing flangesm, fastened to the inner sides of the end pieces at, these flangesextending over the end pieces h and preferably inclining up= ward.toward the front of the box, and to prevent the tray from being drawnout of the box the flanges m are each provided near its front end with astop it, against which the corners of the tray strike. To furtherprevent the tray from being drawn out of the box and to assist inguiding it, each end piece h is provided with a horizontal slot j, whichworks over a headed pin 0, secured in the front wall a. The verticaledges of the front wall f have flanges f, which embrace the front edgesof the end walls a when the boxis closed, and thereby prevent ingress ofwater, and the top edge of the wall f is provided with anoutward-extending flange Z, which fits up under the flange d when thebox is closed and assists the flange d in preventing the ingress ofmoisture to the box. To look the front wall and attach the tray inplace, a suitable lock is fastened to the inner side of the wall f alittle below its upper edge, so that its bolt may be engaged behind theedge 6 when the front wall is closed.

It will be observed that access may be had to thefcontents of the box bysimply drawing out the front wall and the tray and lowering them as theyare drawn out. As the tray slides out its bottom rides down on the frontedge 0 of the bottom of the box and its upper flanges 'n, and slots 7'serve to guide the tray and the front wall easily into place.

To the rear wall of the tray I attach a lettor-clamp 19, so that thefirst-class mail-matter maybe entirelyshielded from the elements,whether the box be opened or closed. Any number of these clips may beused, and any suitable construction of clip may be employed. The trayitself, as is obvious, may be used for letters, as well as the clips;but it is especially adapted for newspapers and packages.- In

one corner of the box a suitable stamp and coin shelf 1" may be located,if desired, and any suitable signal device may be employed.

I The signal device I show consists of a signalbox is opened the signal"is released and allowed to fall.

It will be observed that by constructing the box of sheet metal in themanner shown it will be extremely light and durable and strong and willfulfilall the requirements of the Post- Office Department.

Having thus fully described my invention,

. what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an outdoor mail-receptacle, the combination of a box properconstructed of end walls and bottom, rear and top walls, the front edgeof the top wall being extended down in front, as at 6, thisdownward-extending part being provided with an outward-extending flanged formed by folding upon itself a part of said downward-extendingportion, and a movable front wall and tray, said front wall beingprovided with a look at its upper edge which is adapted to engage saiddownward-extending part.

2. In an outdoor mail-receptacle, the com-- bination of a box open infront, a front wall carrying a tray portion extending in and restingupon the bottom of the box, means for slidingly and pivotally connectingsaid tray to the ends of the box, and means for limiting the outwardmovement of the front wall and attached tray, whereby the same may bedrawn out and let down for the purposes set forth.

3. In combination with a box having an open front and its bottom wallterminating short of the front edge of the box, a movable front walladapted toclose the front of the box, a tray attached to the lower edgeof this front wall and adapted to slide in and out of the box and restupon the front, set-back edge of the bottom of the box when opened, andmeans for guiding the tray and restricting its outward movement.

4:. In combination with a box having an open front, and a bottom whosefront edge is set back from the front of the box, of a front walladapted to close said open frontand carrying a tray extending into thebox, means for restricting the outward movement of the tray andpermitting it to fall and rest on said set-back front edge as it isopened, and means on the inner wall of the tray for temporarily clampingthe letters thereto.

5. In combination with a box having an open front and a bottom whosefront edge is set back from the front edge of the box, a movable frontwall carrying a tray fitting within the box, the end walls of this traybeing slotted, headed pins carried by the box and extending through theslots, and flanges on the end walls of the box adapted to engage theupper edge of the tray, for the purposes set forth.

6. In a mail-receptacle, the combination of a box having an open front,a movable front wall carrying a tray portion extending back into thebox, inward-extending flanges m attached to the ends of the box andextending over the sides of the tray, and means for pivotally attachingthe tray portion to the ends of the box, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature, in the presence oftwo witnesses, this 14th day of February, 1903.

CHARLES P. YOUNG.

Witnesses:

LESTER P. GRoss, ELI H. NEIMAN.

